The warm air rushed into the elevator as the Hoshino family made their way down to the basement parking lot. Dimly lit with fluorescent lights and filled with numerous cars, the area looked mundane yet comforting.

"... The first thing we are going to do is to bathe!" Ai declared, dealing with Ruby's tantrums when Ruby was denied more hugs from her mother. Ai was in desperate need of a shower; her hair and aura were tainted with that of a murderer.

"I couldn't agree more…" Aqua covered his nose, detecting the stench of Ai's blood-clotted hair as he was carried by her motherly arms.

They approached the van, drawing several glares from onlookers. Ai's disguise was doing its best to conceal her identity, but her dishevelled appearance stood out the most. Dirty and worn out.

Miyako and Ichigo were surprised to see a person in a lab coat, who appeared to be a doctor, taking pictures of their licence plate.

"Hey! You!" Ichigo yelled.

The stranger scrambled, dropping the flashlight he used to illuminate the plate.

"Ichigo, who was that?" Ai questioned.

"... ugh…" Ichigo wanted to chase after the delusional and creepy guy, but he had no energy left; he had wasted it all stressing over the situation. He just prayed for the best.

"Ichigo!? Shouldn't you chase after the guy?" Ai's unexpected movement startled the twins.

"We should change cars once we get back to the office," Miyako intervened, preventing Ai from going on a rant.

"Yeah…"

Nobody felt safe inside the van, knowing they might get ambushed by strangers if they didn't hurry.

"Hey, Ichigo…" Miyako's voice sounded vulnerable.

"Hmm?"

"Why… The hell am I always driving!?" Miyako's voice cracked, forming a screech. Her fingers clenched into fists, seemingly ready to assault Ichigo.

"I…-"

"Aren't you supposed to be the man here!?"

"It's just that… I…" He didn't want to admit he couldn't drive. He had been stuck at his parents' house for most of his life and never bothered to get a driver's licence, let alone set goals to learn driving.

"It's just that-"

"Ichigo never learned to drive!" Ai chimed in from the backseat, giggling along with Ruby.

"Ai!" Ichigo lifted himself off his seat a little, turning his head back with eyes filled with betrayal, only to see Ai suppressing laughter with Ruby.

"Aqua! Why didn't you stop her?" Ichigo had had enough. Aqua just shrugged, returning to his phone.

"... So… That's the reason," Miyako said, fed up with Ichigo's childish behaviour. When she first met him, he said he'd be open about everything to her. What a hypocrite.

Ichigo slumped back into his seat, laid his head on the headrest, and hid his face from the rest of the van, especially Miyako.

"It's expected of you… Don't get so distressed; I don't want you to get white hairs so early." Miyako forgave him; he had been like that since the beginning of their relationship.

The drive back to the office was long, especially during peak hours. However, this time was a bit different; there was an accident up ahead, causing a standstill in the downtown lane.

The van was silent, occasionally interrupted by the engine's loud roars. This void of atmosphere triggered wandering minds, stimulating contemplation.

"Mm?" Ai was deep in thought, reflecting on the journey thus far. Her train of thought was interrupted when Aqua tugged her shirt.

Ai's brain constantly reminded her of that comment:

"I… Don't know." These words echoed in her head, causing her to unconsciously pick up Aqua and place him in front of her face.

"Mom…?"

Within Ai's mind, filled with turmoil and chaotic processes, she was overwhelmed by the complex intricacies of being a mother and what it means to support and love her children. Her mind wandered, her eyes darkened in response.

"Ai…?" Aqua touched her cheek, feeling the texture of the bandage that covered it.

Unexpectedly, amidst the chaos of Ai's thoughts, a beautiful revelation emerged. The answer was simple.

The answer was right there, from the very beginning. A simple key unlocked a complicated lock.

"Unconditional Love", these words left Ai's parched lips, followed by her eyes brightening, even brighter than venus.

"I have to fight that struggle." Ai reminisces about Ryosuke's struggle again. Her voice began to pick up that high pitch.

"I have to fight for happiness!" Ai words penetrate Aqua's cranium.

These thoughts are always in her mind?

"That's nice for you to learn, Ai…" Ichigo interjected.

"Huh?" Ai was clueless, not realising she had voiced her inner thoughts.

"HUHH!?" Ai's face scrunched up again, wanting to melt into a puddle. These emotions overwhelmed her; she was tired and just wanted to bathe. Small droplets of water formed on her cheeks, slipping and falling onto her lap.

"You guys… (Sniffle) heard all that?" Ai's curiosity piqued.

"Yeah… I would say it's rather beautiful," Miyako commented, deeply moved.

"Awee….." Ai's grip on Aqua loosened, placing him back on the backseat. Her vulnerability was at its peak.

"Awe…." Ai's body went limp, allowing herself to slump in the chair a bit. Her arms coincidentally embraced both of her twins who were beside her, side-by-side.

"Stawp!" Ai squealed, shaking her arms wildly.

Ruby, who had been half-asleep for most of the car ride until now, was met with her mother screaming and letting herself go like a child. It warmed her heart.

"Mama! Hug me!" Ruby took her chance again. However, what she wasn't expecting was Ai immediately going in for a hug and a sniff.

"Your hair smells nice…" Ai's maternal voice emerged.

"Your face is covered in rough bandages! EEK!" Ruby didn't want to get dried blood on her again.

"Too bad!" Ai was no longer embarrassed by her dishevelled appearance.

Ai continued to have affectionate conversations with her "slightly over-mature" children. To Ai, as long as she was happy, nothing else mattered. Instinctively, she noticed that it was time for her practices to start.

"13:00…" Ai felt a little down for missing her practice.

"Don't worry, Ai. I told everyone to cancel their practices today… You need to rest," Ichigo said, his eyes closed as he too needed a nap.

"Mama, I want to see your performance." Ruby's puppy eyes were in full force; nothing could escape her gaze.

"Hehe…" Ai took out her phone, a bit stained with tiny blood-red splotches.

She scrolled through her gallery, searching through countless dance practices they'd done.

"Oh, this one!" Ruby pointed toward a particular video, the dome's practice dance and choreography.

The Hoshino family sat back and watched the video in awe, making quick glances at Ai to see her reaction.

Miyako's jealousy over a happy family overtook her mind. Hearing Aqua and Ruby enjoying themselves at the back intensified her feelings. She couldn't believe she wanted one so badly.

"It's been 30 minutes… we haven't moved." Miyako is irritated by the morning peak hour traffic.

I should've taken the other route. The traffic downtown is terrible.

Ai was starting to feel the dry air conditioner sting her nose. It was nice at first, but the dry air made it difficult to breathe without introducing a sharp pain within her cranium.

"How much longer…" Ruby could feel it as well.

"I don't know…" Ichigo commented, his eyes are now being covered by a magazine.

The van went a bit silent, only disturbed by the radio… The radio channel seemed to be a show of sorts, making wild claims about current events.

Radio:

"Oh! And did you know about the B Komachi incident? I heard it from Twitter this morning…"

"Ehh?! What incident?"

"It seems to be that the famous idol, Ai, had been brutally assaulted by a cult-fan of hers… at her home!"

"HAHA! Really? Tell me more!"

"..."

The vehicle's atmosphere was at an all time low.

"Shit." Ichigo murmured.

"They're a little insensitive about this." Aqua growled.

"Mom?" Ruby looked to Ai, her face was that of concern. She stared fiercely into the radio. Ai looked to be anticipating what nonsensical, wild, claim they would make next.

Radio:
"I saw it was from this guy's twitter post. He claims to be a doctor in his Bio…"

"Isn't he a famous doctor prodigy? He's Ryota!"

"Wow… Really makes his claims much more true and factual right?"

"You… ERK!" Ai clenched her chest, she's distressed again. Her eyes filled with even more fury.

That pervert, I knew something was up! He… He… lied!

"Ryota?" Ichigo grew curious.

"Wasn't he… the doctor who treated you?" His brain started to function again, making him take off the magazine and listen closer to the radio.

"That pervert!" Ai's teeth formed that of a jaguar.

"He… Used me"

"He… almost… did something to me… Unspeakable." Ai's eyes grew darker, shifting her focus to the windows of the side of the van. Heavy breaths soon followed suit.

"Mom…" The twins muttered, they looked at each other. They had to think of something.

Radio:
"Woah, he even gave us the licence plate of the vehicle… He's a bit strange isn't he?"

"Yeah, but… Eh? Can you blame him? If you were treating a famous, beautiful idol and gem like her, you're likely going to end up like that cult-fan. Hahaha!"

"True, but… it seems like… it's a bit of an intrusion of privacy?"

"C'mon, give it a break, most of her information you can look up on the internet. It's the price you pay for being famous."

"He did… What!?" Ai's temper was out of control. The injustice, this pervert. She scrambles for her twins to sit closer.

"Isn't that the same thing as doxxing someone? That's illegal, right?" Ichigo's concern was evident. His eyes and ears were wide open in disbelief.

Suddenly, the vehicle's walls were being tampered with, heavy knocks on the doors accompanied by microphones protruding inside. The van was tall enough for all the reporters' faces to be visible.

They felt like prey being feasted upon by larger predators. Reporters squeezed through the traffic, determined to get a word from the idol herself.

The vehicle began to shake, and with the oncoming horde of interviewers, it seemed likely that someone would physically assault the vehicle for their news.

"Mommy…" Ruby quivered.

"I can't… I can't! I can't! I-" Ai was seriously distressed. Her appearance was not fit for the media. She couldn't handle another precarious situation, not again. The loud banging from the outside rhythmically disturbed any form of coherent thought; none of them could think properly in this situation.

Everyone was being pushed to their limits.

Banging, shouting, chaos.

Miyako's grip tightened on the wheel, her foot itching to leave the scene.

Ichigo, his fists clenched, wanted out, wanted to shield them.

Ruby's eyes, wide with fear, threatened tears, voice silenced.

Ai, once strong, felt her calm unravel, heart pounding, bandages gripped even tighter.

Aqua, resolute and prepared, fists ready, eyes on the threat.

The air crackled with fear inside, reporters' demands outside.

Tension suffocated. Uncertainty hung thick.

Miyako's thoughts drifted, scrambling for a solution. She remembered glimpses of memories where Aqua and her had thought things out. Where was that solution? Where did it hang in her brain?

Her thoughts were cut off when she felt Aqua climb onto her lap.

With silent, unspoken words, they communicated effortlessly. Each reminded the other of what they'd practised for a long time.

"Miyako!?" Ichigo's fists released their tension. He saw them unexpectedly leave the van to face the reporters. The outside, afternoon light was blinding; it looked as if both of them were consumed by it.

Before he could say anything else, the door slammed shut behind them.

Ai's thoughts were violently shifted towards concern for Aqua.

What… Where… huh?! Wha-.

Ai saw Miyako, carrying Aqua in her arms.

"Heh!? Wouldn't they know it's my child!?" Ai yelled, riddled with concern, clawing at the window to bring him back into the van.

"Don't worry, their names are legally tethered to Miyako. The reporters can't fight lawyers, can they?" Ichigo grinned, finally understanding what was happening.

"But… Aqua… Might-"

Ai saw the beauty of their technique.

It was as if some divine force had blessed her children with capabilities and minds far beyond their age. Ai gasped, clasping her mouth with her hands.

"Oh my god…" Ai saw Aqua whispering into Miyako's ears. Though she couldn't hear a single word outside, she understood that it wasn't Miyako handling the situation but rather Aqua.

"Aqua! I love you!" Her eyes reached out to see her child expertly debunking their claims. The reporters' faces turned disappointed. It was definitely working.

"Aqua-" Unfortunately, a reporter snapped a photo of her face through the window. Ai quickly climbed back onto her seat, releasing a sigh.

Of course, they're ruthless like that.

The reporters didn't budge, bombarding Aqua with claims, explanations, theories, and wild accusations that could disorient and cause celebrities to spill everything. However,

Aqua, being a doctor, handled patients similar to these entitled reporters. In his previous life, he shot down patients' wild and totally untrue concerns for their health, honing the skill with time. He became adept at winning arguments with colleagues without breaking a sweat.

Aqua grinned, realising he was no longer just prey but feasting on the hunger and greed of many reporters. His words were sharp, concise, and indisputable.

Even Miyako, who knew about his over-mature attitude, was surprised by the things Aqua could articulate with his feeble lips. It was scary.

Aqua relishes these moments with the reporters; his unbridled maturity could flourish and ultimately help the people he loved dearly the most. However, this moment was cut short.

The van door slowly opened, signalling them to return to the vehicle. The accident at the front had been cleared, and vehicles started pouring out of the area at a rapid pace.

The reporters, who continued to stand next to their vehicle, were greatly disturbed by the honking vehicles that urged them to move. They had to leave the area, or else they would be arrested for attempting to disrupt the public.

—

"Aqua~! You did so well!" Ai outstretched her arms, catching Aqua in her arms. Aqua, caught the stench of her hair, now with a tinge of sweat.

"Ai! You still stink…" Aqua pinched his nose, not wanting to catch that smell again.

Ai didn't seem to mind, she shoved her face into her child's soft belly.

"Where did you learn how to do that?" Ai's words were muffled by the fatty belly. Aqua, is in euphoria. Her sticky hair tickled him like nothing else.

"It. Was. From, the- internet!" Aqua's explanation was disturbed by Ai's intrusive actions.

"Ahh~, I no longer regret giving you a phone~..." Ai takes a deep breath with contentment, her insecurities of letting them get exposed to the internet wasn't too bad afterall.

"I would say, he's learning a bit fast for a toddler." Miyako turned towards Ai at the back of the van, looking concerned.

"Why?"

"I don't know… If you were out there with Aqua, you would be in awe at how he handled them."

Of course! He's a child actor after all, though I do wonder what he… said.

Ai and Aqua stared blankly at each other, before Ai gave a final smooch to his head and placed him down gently.

"Mom~!" Ruby yearns for Ai's attention, Aqua had already received too much.

—

The van makes a sharp right turn, heading in towards their destination. Strawberry Production's office building.

Walking through the building, Ai wonders…

"Eh? Ichigo, why aren't we back home?" Ai questioned.

"It's because your house is being cleaned, we can't possibly let you go back now. Also! We need to change your location, the crime scene has been made public, and we can't risk another situation like this before your dome concert." Ichigo's voice reverberated through the empty office hallway.

"So, where will we go?"

"I will need you to book your hotel on your own, I have to go speak to my media manager and… Miyako for the rescheduling… Where is she?" His eyes darted around the room, looking for her presence. She had gone to the toilet.

"Well, you have a driver's licence," Ichigo tossed Ai the keys to the new car.

"There's also a GPS system in there, don't worry."

"But, that's not-" Ichigo left immediately, interrupting Ai's concerns.

"What's wrong?" Ruby questioned.

"I- I… haven't driven for a long time…" Ai had received her licence only 2 years after conceiving her twins. Safe to say, she hasn't driven for 2 years.

Ai hesitantly got into the front seat of the car, greeted by a sleek black design. The cushions, the scented air, the clean interior – everything felt brand new.

"Wow~!" Ruby exclaimed, pressing her face against the soft back-seat of the car, much softer than the white van they had been in.

"They almost feel as soft as Ai's lap!" Ruby teased.

Ai wasn't in the mood for teasing; she had to focus on driving without crashing the new car. Her face turned red at the thought of damaging it.

"Ichigo… You'll hear from me…!" Ai exclaimed, feeling a mixture of pressure and determination. Her only real talents were dancing, singing, looking good, and confidence on stage. What else was she good at?

Without realising it, Ai's thoughts drifted to her twin's talents.

"Aqua… sociable, talented, incredibly smart, mature… And he's only 4!?" Ai blurted out her thoughts aloud.

"How about me, mom?" Ruby's words carried a hint of resentment; she wanted her mother's attention again.

"Ah! I said it out loud, didn't I?" Ai felt defeated.

For 20 minutes straight, Ai couldn't move the vehicle. Her fear of crashing, the high stakes at that moment, left her paralyzed. She couldn't help but feel inferior as an idol.

The uncontrollable thoughts and stressful situation led her to vent about her job, the idol industry, and her frustrations poured out.

"... The world is a terrible place! Entertainers are not viewed as people. We're merely slaves to a system! Why can't we seek our own happiness? Why can't we just accept that the people who make their lives happy have lives of their own? Privacy… Privacy is the least cared-for aspect in the industry! Yet it's crucial for your survival… These things barely scratch the surface…" Ai seemed to have snapped.

The twins sat back, observing as Ai expressed her feelings to the air. Her complaints were occasionally accompanied by her honking the car at nothing. Every thought she had until now was laid out for her kids to see.

"... Life's unfair! It's as if people can't just think rationally for themselves!" Ai's voice was heavy, her body soaked with sweat. She lifted her head and stared at her children through the mirror.

Aqua's thoughts:

Phew, it's a good thing we didn't let her speak to the reporters… Crisis averted.

Ruby's thoughts:

I didn't know she had that in her! Her voice is angelic even when she's screaming! Ahh~ How I wish to be an idol.

"Ruby, I don't mind if you go into the idol industry… I am just worried… That you'll end up like me… Please, think about it." Ai's hand gestures reflected her emotions, her idol habits slipping into her actions.

"Mom…" Ruby whispered under her breath.

"?"

"It doesn't matter…"

"But, Ruby…"

"I never knew you had that in you!" Ruby interjected.

"?"

"Isn't that amazing? Singing on stage, wearing cute clothing, your infectious energy, and making your fans incredibly happy in adoration… That's something-"

"It's not like that, Ruby."

"So…? Even if life pulls you down, you should look up at it and struggle." At this moment, Ruby wasn't talking about herself but her previous life, Sarina.

For her, every moment felt like a battle for her life, but she persevered. She found the person she loved who took the extra time to care for her, Gorou, who wasn't even her assigned doctor. It was worth it, until the very last second.

"But, that's-" Ai realised something, a lesson she had learned.

"You have to fight for Happiness!"

"That's…"

The one singular attribute that separates the cold, calculating and elusive people from the charming, and genuine.

Optimism

"Ruby… Optimistic, charming, charismatic, mature… And you're only 4…" Her eyelids droop, hands let loose of the steering wheel.

"..."

"Ai… Unwavering, Resilient, Resourceful, Caring, Responsible, and you're only 20." Aqua and Ruby said in unison.

Ai's feelings swayed at her children's benevolent views of her, she's on the verge of tears. She cried a total of 3 times today, she'd almost run out of tears to cry for this… pivotal moment, she feels a little selfish.

The car jolted forward, Ai began to drive.

Ai booked a suite room in the hotel, considering it the best option, especially when Aqua and Ruby begged desperately for one. Both twins had never experienced a suite room in their previous lives.

Timidly ascending to their room number, Aqua and Ruby couldn't contain their excitement; at heart, they were still children.

The soft, moist air in the elevator allowed Ai to relax for once, her tense muscles loosening, observing the twins' childlike antics. She almost forgot that they were supposed to be acting like adults.

"Suite room~! Suite!" Ruby continued to chant, attracting the attention of several bystanders until they reached their room.

"Wow! The bed's huge-" The twins were swiftly picked up from their feet and placed in the bathtub by Ai, who wore a stern expression on her face.

As hot water poured in, Ai positioned her blood-stained hair directly under the shower head, watching the thick red pigment wash away, avoiding a permanent stain on her head.

"Ahh~~" Relief washed over her as the blood disappeared just in time.

Ruby joined the bathtub soon after, followed by Aqua, who closed his eyes to avoid seeing his mother.

"Aqua? Still scared of the shampoo?"

"Hehe, he can handle the reporters yet is too scared to dip in!" Ruby teased.

Aqua said nothing, choosing to climb into the bathtub with hesitancy lacing his actions.

To his surprise, Aqua felt the warm embrace of Ai's arms around him.

"!"

"Ai!" Aqua's reflexes made him accidentally open his eyes. Immediately, he covered his face with his hands.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot you were supposed to act like an adult..." Ai sounded a little disappointed, so she decided to leave Aqua be.

"No! Please st-stay…" Aqua, against his own ideals, blurted out.

"Why didn't you say so!" She immediately hugged him again, splashing soapy water everywhere.

"Not like that!"

After the bath, everything felt peaceful. Everything felt okay. It was just Ai, Aqua, and Ruby. It felt like the morning again, before Ryosuke's intrusion.

However, it felt different in a good way. The smell of fresh shampoo, the natural light scattering across the numerous objects, illuminated the room without the need for artificial lighting. Ai Hoshino felt more like a mother than an idol.

Her eyes, once plagued with guilt and lies, now sparkled with innocence and purity.

Her mouth, once laced with calculations, now lifted with an organic arch.

Ai sat on the bed and glanced over at the clock.

"17:00." Ai's face fell slightly; the day felt incredibly long. Each event etched itself into their minds, permanently situating within their memories.

"Wanna watch some television?" Ai's energy was contagious. Aqua and Ruby jumped onto the same bed, resting their heads on her lap.

Ai's thoughts solidified.

It's these moments that make me want to protect my children the most.